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Should Arsenal promote Coquelin or bring in a new DM?

Would you be happy with Wenger promoting Coquelin or do you want another Central midfielder? by KJ

It’s a very slow news day for Arsenal at the moment (mainly because of the lack of games to talk about). As a result, I want to refer back to our controversial ending to the transfer window (I know a lot won’t want to talk about it) but I think it’s important to reflect on how the team shapes up as a result and whether we’d need reinforcements during the January window; something Wenger hinted at.

I’m a big fan of the French youngster Francis Coquelin. He has really impressed me with cameos against Manchester City in the Carling Cup and a rampant game against Blackburn as a fullback. He’s only 21 and hence shows flashes of inexperience but then again, he shows flashes of brilliance. There clearly is an underlying talent there. However, there were a few games towards the end of the season (most notably against West Bromwich Albion) where he played below par for me.

Although I have this belief in Coquelin, I still feel he’s someway off being a regular starter for the club. He’s got a lot of talent but I feel he needs to be gradually introduced into the club. I was hoping that he’d be a starter for all Carling cup matches and all easy FA cup matches as well as playing a few Premier League matches against the likes of Wigan, Southampton etc. However, if Diaby gets injured for a long period (which unfortunately is entirely likely), he’ll be a starter for big games and our extremely important Champions league games.

I’d personally want to see Arsene push for another midfielder during the January window. I really like the look of Capoue who is quite similar to Diaby (although more defensive). He’d be a quality midfield addition for at most, £10 million.

What do you guys think? Should we give Coquelin a first team chance or do we get another defensive midfielder?
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59 thoughts on “Should Arsenal promote Coquelin or bring in a new DM?”

why have youngsters if we’re not going to give them a chance exactly in situations like this? wenger isn’t a fool, he wouldn’t be on arsenals books if he didnt think he could fill the role at some point in the future

First of all, the board will not buy anymore players, not until we have another star to sell and make a small fortune from.

Secondly, I think Coquelin is ready to step up to he plate. He proved himself last season when thrown into the deep end. He was very versatile as he played DM and RB and did extremely well, especially against the big clubs as mentioned.

He has determination, works hard, and is everything we need in a DM. Song was more technical and flashy, but I agree with a few of some of the fans…he neglected his defensive duties of running back to defend. Coquelin seems more disciplined and can only improve, which is saying a lot.

So I think buying a DM would be a waste, as we have Le Coq and Pong at our service.

I dnt mind coquelin ever being the worst player in the team – so why not ? He’s not gonna get experience sittin on the bench and the kids also played some very good games . Hopefully arteta and bould can help him read the game a bit better and I’m sure he’ll get his chance . Spend the money on a top forward and right back !

Promote. The guy is actually class.
He even stepped in at right back and did a decent job. He can become better than Song by a long way, more discipline, and can become an actual defensive mid, not a defensive striker like Song thought he was.

This is bolllox, he is a good player in many positions but Arsenal do not play with a recognised DM, they never have. We play 3 in midfield and when 1 or 2 break forward someone stays back to cover the back four. Any 1 of the three or whoever is back. We are not that bloody rigid. We are modelled on Barca. In attack we all go forward, loose the ball and all defend. Coquelin is a very good versatile player in defense and midfield, nuff said.

umm doesnt arteta play as our dm? i think he is good enough. wilshere and ramsey play the diaby role. i dont know why i dont see coq as a midfielder.he is a very decent wing back. when frimpong played for wolves he was solid.he is like song without creativity and with discipline.so his good. lets just forget about who we will buy! believ in the team:)

For this year keep him,I really think Wenger is allready looking for a bigger DM,judging by Anderlecht’s Cheikhou Kouyate coming out and saying Wenger wanted him at Arsenal(he would’ve came to Arsenal if Anderlecht didn’t make the CL/he can play DM/CB). Coquelin unfortunately will probably lose his place to Frimpong anyways in the long run judging by the fact that Frimpong’s English a die hard Arsenal fan and more willing to wait for his chances.

He’s quality, looked no worse than De Jong when matched against him last season, but the West Brom game shows he’s not fully mature yet.
Personally I think he’s so good he should be kept if at all possible, to take over from Arteta over the next few years. He’s similar in his intelligent reading of the game and is strong in possession, but is probably physically stronger and quicker, and better at tackling. Arteta’s experience is vital at the moment, but Coquelin could be eased in over time.
Frimpong is a beast, but I don’t think he could play this role as well because he’s not such a smart defensive midfielder. He’s a destroyer who would probably compliment Arteta or Coquelin well.

Promote. Our defence looks solid. If he listens to Bould, and is diclsciplined (which he is), then why not? I would rather spend on another forward/striker.
Mark my words – we will lose another 1 or 2 players by the end of the season. (Wallcott/Sagna or someone unexpected). Every season we now have outgoing players (no matter who) at big £££ and we ALWAYS make a profit in the window. ALWAYS. Everyone seems to have forgotten we made £50mil+ from the sale of Fabregas & Nasri. We did NOT spend that on players to replace them. Same has just occurred in this last window – made around £40mil, spent around £35mil. So fans – if you want to see players come in, ask yourself which player you love, it will cost seeing leave. (I don’t like it either, but thems are the facts people).

I want AW to promote Coquelin. And actually help him take Mvilla’s position (which is already shaky with the return of Abou Diaby) in the French National side before the world cup in Brazil.

I’ll also like to see Frimpong (Ghana), Serge Gnabry and Thomas Elsfield (Germany) play for their respective National Sides as well. Let it be an all Arsenal Affair.

Coquelin and Frimpong can actually take over from Arteta who have only a few more season due to his age. Frimpong showed in the Sunderland side last season that he is ready to step up before his injury. I was surprised that as combative as he is, he still have a creative side to his game as well and where else can he develop that better than at Arsenal FC under Le Prof.

I think Arsenal’s priority in the transfer window is actually to get a creative and ball playing striker in the mould of Aguero, Villa and Benzema to play upfront in certain types of opponents in place of Olivier Giroud and a Full back who can play both right and left as we need a cover and competition for Kieran Gibbs and Carl jenkinson as Andre Santos and Bacary Sagna are aging.

Players like Coquelin need to understand they don’t get automatic promotion to the 1st team, you have to earn that place. Blackmailing the club with threats of leaving shows the mentality of Coquelin like so many other deluded kids before him.

Firstly, it shows he’ll be threatening to leave in the future every time he doesn’t get his own way. Secondly, going to a much smaller club because you’re unproven is like changing your Doctor. Before a new GP can decide the best course of action they have to go over the ground already covered by your previous Doctor, this takes time and you can end up taking several years to get back to the stage you are right now instead of gaining several years improvement.

I thought he had been promoted. was he not a reserve wearing the no.39 shirt last season who now wears 22? he has leap frogged frimpong and is basically now the back up to arteta with frimpong the 3rd option. wilshire diaby ramsey cazorla rosicky chamberlain and arshavin contest the attacking midfield roles and theo poldi giroud gerv and chamakh the 2 striker roles in our new 4132 formation

I would say play it safe to get a trophy this season and give those talented young guns a shot next one. The fans are getting impatient with the youth project but they dont realise that fabregas and wilshere to name a few are products of the same project.

Should start to give him and Frimpong game time. 2 very exciting prospects to look forward to. I know im looking forward to seeing a midfield trio of Frimpong, Coquelin and Eisfeld the having Miyaichi and Chamberlain on the wings with Afobe or Campbell through the middle. 2 players i wish we had kept are Bartley and Ozyakup, 2 of the most promising in my opinion, a big loss soon to a big regret.

Coq and Frimmers are both very promising. Coq is a little more disciplined at this point but Frimmers has the build and hard tacking we’ve been missing, he just gets into trouble too many times. He’s a yellow card machine. The only reason I see to buy a DM is for injury worries and to foster more competition to push the young guys more.

We are very loaded in the midfield and all the players need to show up every day trying to earn their place! If they don’t they’ll end up like Arshavin.

Coq – 21 years old, 34 first team appearances for Arsenal and Lorient. 6 French U-21 caps and none at senior level.

M’Vila – 22 years old, 110 first team appearances for Rennes. 8 French U-21 caps and 22 at senior international level.

Whose the better prospect? For around 10-12m, it’s a no brainer.

However, Coquelin should only be promoted on merits and when his form demands it. More importantly, based on team needs – right now the team doesn’t need him. He can hark all he wants about being played or he’ll leave, but if his form doesn’t merit a starting spot or if the team doesn’t need him then he shouldn’t be starting. He’s a decent prospect, but with his attitude he can leave. No one should be saying in the media “if you don’t play me then I’ll move elsewhere”. It’s fine to say that to the manager or your family and friends but just don’t tell the whole world! It’s not a good look at all for the player and shouldn’t influence Wenger’s decision whether to play him or not.

I’d be happy to send him plus 8-10m Rennes’ way for M’Vila… Maybe 12m with a first option buy-back clause and/or sell on fee because I think in a few years he’ll be a very good player.

He will have to be patient be plenty of games for him to be involved in during a long season i would not be surprised if he starts against southampton with diaby having a breather espec if he plays another 90 mins for france i can see wenger freshening up the team. the kid has plenty of talent and a bright future.

@ Tony 9.27
Yes, if possible. But regarding Coquelin’s comments and bullish attitude, unlikely.
His attitude: ‘I want to play’, admirable. No problem.
His comments: “If I don’t play, I’m off”, out of order.
Problem.
Every young wants to play. Issuing an ultimatum is not a good idea, and borders on petulance.

@ Johnno, 2.11am
Spot on (almost)… I think 10-12m isn’t likely for M’Vila.
17-20m is a more realistic figure.

He should definitely be promoted as he’s got huge potential. When I’ve seen him play in the youth teams, second string Arsenal teams and the odd first team outing he always does pretty well. He’s not just the midfield muscle which everyone associates with, he’s actually pretty adept with the ball at his feet, can link up with others around him in deft, close quarter play and has a decent range of passing too. Couple that with he’s level of energy and good knowledge of the game…..promotion should be considered.

The only downside is that based on the actively performing midfield that we have at the moment, it would be hard for him to break into that midfield immediately. He’s definitely capable of performing a formidable role alongside Arteta, Carzola, Chamberlain etc but it all depends on who’s fit and who is deemed more important than him in the pecking order which unfortunately out of our hands and fans.

My view is that he should be promoted definitely ahead of Ramsey and depending on if Diaby can maintain the performance given the opportunity there too and………although this won’t go down too well Wilshire shouldn’t be given the nod over him either just because he’s Jack Wilshire.

In short, yep definitely a candidate for first team promotion and should not be allowed to leave !

I think Frimpong is a better DM than Coquelin. If we need to fil the DM position, play Frimpong.

I think Coquelin should be given some chances also, play him at RB maybe? Jenkinson cant possibly keep playing until Sagna comes back. Also Sagna is getting a bit old (Nearing 30!), so Coquelin should be played more (maybe 4,5 games) in the season.

He needs to do what Jack Wilshere did. I remember Wenger saying that he intended to give Jack only a handful of first team games (in 2010 I think) but Jack was so good he just could not leave him out of the side.

Well we do have Frimpong too and I think he can play in the away games against stronger teams to help out the defence while letting players move forward, and Coquelin can play this role with ease too.
To top Gunners!

Coquelin is a very good player..Really good at RB..But I dont like young players giving ultamatiums to the manager..I Personally cant wait to have Frimpong back..That fella is a little beast..UP THE ARSENAL!!!

@kj
I think couqelin should be promoted i think hes brilliant his skill and turning quickly in the middle of the park when he has played has impressed me.
hes also tenacious likes a tackle and works hard he reminds me a bit off lassana diarra.
He and frimpong our the reasons why we didnt buy another midfielder.

I don’t see any reason to buy a DM. The most obvious reason is that we don’t play with an obvious DM.

We have the best midfield in the EPL right now. When Wilshire and Rosicky come we will be close to having the two best midfields in the league. The hardest problem it looks like we are going to have will be to give out enough playing time to keep all of them happy so that they don’t leave us. Coquelin looks like he will fit into our future. Give him cup games and selected EPL starts to allow the regulars needed rest. He will come good for us. And don’t forget, we still have Frimpong.